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The Formosa Lily Project

Last spring, a friend gave me a gift of some Formosa lily bulbs, which I had Ryan McCallister, my gardener, plant in the quadrant beds of the terrace garden. The lilies liked that location and sent up tall stalks of dramatic, lovely, and highly fragrant blooms. Most gardeners know that the best way to grow lilies is by planting bulbs, but I heard that Formosa lilies grow quite easily from seed. Ryan and I wanted to experiment with the process and this blog is about just that.

1 This is the view from the porch of my home. It leads down to the terrace garden and the farm beyond. The stone stable is to the left where my 5 Friesians and 3 Sicilian donkeys reside. The small buildings further in the distance are the chicken coops.

2 A view of the porch, which is decorated with hanging ferns

3 This photo was taken a year ago. These are Formosa lilies, which start blooming in August and continue through early October. They bear eight or more 10-inch-long, deliciously scented, pristine-white trumpets upon each stem.

4 Native to Taiwan, the Formosa lily is incredibly easy to grow. This welcome addition to the garden is among the last of the lilies to open each year.